Even the Wind and the Waves Obey Him

The Church is a building but not one made by human hands, but by the Spirit of God.

When we meet for the purpose of knowing Jesus Christ or serving Him, He tells us He is present with us.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)

To further that point, it is also true that Christ is present in all who believe and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

Jesus is IN the individual believer and IN and WITH those who are gathered in His name.

This is also true for our online community.

We are having an impact. People from countries all over the world are receiving the Gospel as a result of the faithful witness of online writers who take the Great Commission to heart and see blogging as an additional resource to meet those needs.

Our ancient foe knows this as well.

Which is why I pray for all my followers and online friends in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I would encourage all who are like hearted to do the same because Satan makes attempts to get us off message in several ways.

If you are worth the devil’s time then you are having an impact!

Keep doing what you are doing and don’t stop.

Find several ways, but don’t stop telling others about Jesus.

(JESUS),”He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

“He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

“They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:39-40)

4 responses to “Even the Wind and the Waves Obey Him”

Is Matthew 18:20 not the Scripture most routinely taken our of context be well meaning Christians in their group prayers and teaching? In these verses Jesus was speaking with reference to church discipline. The idea that he is with us because two or three are gathered is of course nonsense but that is the context with which I have so often heard that verse used. Is it me or do we, as the body, not need to take greater care with our understanding of Matthew 18?

You are only partially right. I fear you have too narrow a view friend.
Here is what R.C. Sproul has to say in his commentary of this verse.

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18:19, 20 These verses should be taken in the larger context as still dealing with church discipline. V. 19 is a further application of v. 18, and v. 20 states that Jesus is present to validate the judicial activity of the church.

The broader context would be in Jesus’s overall context of God’s love,(1 Cor. 12:31 “the most excellent way”), and as the central theme of Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in John 17,(“that the love you have loved me with may be in them, and that I may be in them.”)

It is the most common misconception that righteousness is primarily the result of “putting off” sin, but in fact the putting off is the result of ,”putting on” or ,”IN”, the new man, Christ Himself IN us as new believers, which dispels the old. Christ in us actually fills a vacant hole that sin cannot satisfy.

For furthering my point I will refer you to Matthew Henry”s Commentary on this passage.

(2.) The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians, Matt. 18:20. Every believer has the presence of Christ with him; but the promise here refers to the meetings where two or three are gathered in his name, not only for discipline, but for religious worship, or any act of Christian communion. Assemblies of Christians for holy purposes are hereby appointed, directed, and encouraged.

[1.] They are hereby appointed; the church of Christ in the world exists most visibly in religious assemblies; it is the will of Christ that these should be set up, and kept up, for the honour of God, the edification of men, and the preserving of a face of religion upon the world. When God intends special answers to prayer, he calls for a solemn assembly, Joel 2:15, 16. If there be no liberty and opportunity for large and numerous assemblies, yet then it is the will of God that two or three should gather together, to show their good-will to the great congregation. Note, When we cannot do what we would in religion, we must do as we can, and God will accept us.

[2.] They are hereby directed to gather together in Christ’s name. In the exercise of church discipline, they must come together in the name of Christ, 1 Cor. 5:4. That name gives to what they do an authority on earth, and an acceptableness in heaven. In meeting or worship, we must have an eye to Christ; must come together by virtue of his warrant and appointment, in token of our relation to him, professing faith in him, and in communion with all that in every place call upon him. When we come together, to worship God in a dependence upon the Spirit and grace of Christ as Mediator for assistance, and upon his merit and righteousness as Mediator for acceptance, having an actual regard to him as our Way to the Father, and our Advocate with the Father, then we are met together in his name.

[3.] They are hereby encouraged with an assurance of the presence of Christ; There am I in the midst of them. By his common presence he is in all places, as God; but this is a promise of his special presence. Where his saints are, his sanctuary is, and there he will dwell; it is his rest (Ps. 132:14), it is his walk (Rev. 2:1); he is in the midst of them, to quicken and strengthen them, to refresh and comfort them, as the sun in the midst of the universe. He is in the midst of them, that is, in their hearts; it is a spiritual presence, the presence of Christ’s Spirit with their spirits, that is here intended. There am I, not only I will be there, but I am there; as if he came first, is ready before them, they shall find him there; he repeated this promise at parting (Matt. 28:20), Lo, I am with you always. Note, The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians is promised, and may in faith be prayed for and depended on; There am I. This is equivalent to the Shechinah, or special presence of God in the tabernacle and temple of old, Exod. 40:34; 2 Chron. 5:14.

Though but two or three are met together, Christ is among them; this is an encouragement to the meeting of a few, when it is either, First, of choice. Besides the secret worship performed by particular persons, and the public services of the whole congregation, there may be occasion sometimes for two or three to come together, either for mutual assistance in conference or joint assistance in prayer, not in contempt of public worship, but in concurrence with it; there Christ will be present. Or, Secondly, By constraint; when there are not more than two or three to come together, or, if there be, they dare not, for fear of the Jews, yet Christ will be in the midst of them, for it is not the multitude, but the faith and sincere devotion, of the worshippers, that invites the presence of Christ; and though there be but two or three, the smallest number that can be, yet, it Christ make one among them, who is the principal one, their meeting is as honourable and comfortable as if they were two or three thousand.”

I hope this helps clarify my use, which is common, is not at all ,”nonsense”, but Christ’s mandate for all believers.We are to love one another, and the pride to be first was what Jesus used in this passage on discipline to convey the need to use love in such situations.
Before His crucifixion Jesus taught them this same thing when He washed their feet,”he who would be first must be servant of all.”

You’re welcome. For the record I agree with Henry entirely and Sproul is on the money. However, having seen the verse worked over repeatedly in prayer groups as assurance of Christ’s presence I am still convinced there is a need for better teaching on the Scripture (Henry’s commentary helps).

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To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Revelation 1:5,6

Do Everything in love.
We love because he first loved us.
1Corinthians 16:14 , 1John 4:19